Never quite got around to it. Many of my friends are rabid fanboys and fangirls, and they seem like enjoyable enough books, but I’ve just never been motivated enough to actually put forth any effort in that direction.
A friend of mine gave me the first book for Christmas. I only read about half of it before I lost interest. The genre of fantasy, sorcery, witchcraft, etc. has never really appealed to me, even when I was a kid. If I were a kid today I’d probably still not have read any of the books. The movies I’ve seen are cool, though, but I’m not a rabid fan who has to see all of them on opening night.
Didn’t read them simply because everyone (friends, acquaintances & media) told me I should. Lend me a book you loved, encourage me to try something new, recommend yes but don’t tell me what I should enjoy. Almost without realising I ended up taking a stance - it became an issue “Have you read Harry Potter ?” “No.” “Why (or more often Why not) ? You’d love it.”
I don’t recall ever having challenged someone as to why they haven’t read one of my favourite reads.
That said I would happily buy a box set for my nephew when he’s old enough and I’ve seen the films (as a Brit thoroughly enjoying the familiarity of the faces in the adult cast).
PS born '71
Yeah. Every time I read the thread title, I feel like I’m in middle school English class and we’re being berated for not having done the assigned reading.
I read the first three. A friend who is a child & family social worker praised them as “…the best children’s literature written in the last 50 years.” They were OK. When my little boy is old enough I’ll probably read them to him, or let him read them on his own if he’s interested.
Me. Never read them.
I’m not generally inclined to read children’s books, being 49 years old. I realize that many adults have enjoyed the books, but there was always something on my reading list that I had to get to first. And that situation seems likely to to continue indefinitely.
I read the first one on the rabid recommendation of my SIL; it was enjoyable but not enough for me to continue the series. The genre just doesn’t really appeal to me. I tend to read mostly non-fiction anyway.
Saw the first movie, and it was good. I saw maybe half of the 2nd and lost what little interest I had in the whole thing.
It came out in '97? I was 30. My kids aren’t old enough yet to get into it, but I suspect in a couple years they’ll be all over the books.
Never had any interest in reading them. My daughters (born 1991 and 1993) were very much into the books, the movies not so much (I have somehow raised readers, not viewers).
I read a lot of fantasy but HP never struck a chord with me.
I haven’t read any of them. But I’m not a heavy reader to begin with.
I think the reason I missed them is because I’m the exact wrong age. I’m 30, so they were published when I ranged from 18-28. Too old to be really interested in kids’ books (adults who enjoy them notwithstanding) and not old enough to read them because of having kids who are interested (I have no children). So I just fell in that demographic gap.
Saw the first movie around the time it came out on DVD. Thought it was okay, but obviously I didn’t think it was too great, because I haven’t bothered to see any of the others.
I never read the Harry Potter books or saw the movies. The subject matter isn’t of interest to me, and I hadn’t heard that the writing was all that good.
My kids, ranging in age from 23 to 5, haven’t shown any interest either. Oddly, my elderly father loves the books. He loves juvenile fiction, though.
20something male here.
I haven’t read the books or seen any of the movies. I also have no interest in “getting around” to reading/watching them either. I’m a huge Gary Oldman fan and I didn’t even know he was in them/one nor do I care to see him in action.
They are not my style of fantasy and I am putting that as politely as I can so as not to be driven off the board for my heresy.
I started the first one, read a couple of chapters and it didn’t do anything for me. It’s still on the bookshelf, maybe I’ll give it another try someday.
I’ve never read and of the books nor seen any of the movies. Then again, I was never one to willingly read fiction unless it was assigned to me… I really don’t know why so many people are up-in-arms over a childrens’ series about a boy with magical powers.
I was about 15 or so when the first book came out. I’ve not read any of them nor have I seen any of the movies. Just not interested.
Eta: also, the last bit of what BrandonR said. There are better children’s books, if you are into that sort of thing.
This was my deal also. I haven’t seen the movies either.
One of my kids has read them all, and seen all the movies. The other 3 were not interested in them at all.
It’s been many years since I’ve had time to read books. I know that sounds crazy but it’s true. When I retire I plan to pick it back up though - I used to read quite a bit in my younger days.
We all do strange things in our youth! 
Nope. I’m 42. And I’ve never read the LOTR books either. Not much for fantasy/sci fi.
I read the first one; my best friend (we’re both 49 now) knows me inside and out, and she *insisted *that I would just LOVE them.
She was wrong.
They weren’t awful, just not my thing.
I was born in '53, but I don’t think that’s why I stopped reading them, as I read lots of fantasy, children’s books, and YA literature, as well as “regular” stuff. Anyway, I liked the first book - esp the descriptions of Harry’s bad treatment by his evil Aunt and Uncle, they were hilarious. I just couldn’t make it through any of the others. Too repetitive, just didn’t grab me at all. Saw the first movie with my daughter, but couldn’t make it through the others - just too predictable and not in a good way.
I was 22 when the first one came out. At the time, I read a lot of fantasy lit (less so now, but I haven’t dropped the genre entirely), but I never got into them. I remember when the first movie came out, the hype started making me think I should read the book, until I actually saw the movie, and didn’t see anything in it remotely appealing. Oddly enough, the exact thing happened with the three subsequent movies. Movie hype starts up, I think, “Maybe I should check these books out after all…” and then the movie makes me realize, “These really aren’t that good, are they?”
I know, I know, I should judge the book by the movie, but the stuff I didn’t like in the movies seemed pretty fundamental to the stories they were telling. The last movie I saw, where Harry’s in some wizard competition, or something, was just dumb on so many fundamental levels, I can’t imagine that it was that much of a departure from the book.